Give this technique a try during your strength or mass phase to reap the best muscle building rewards.

Q: Seems like nobody’s recommending straight sets anymore. It’s all circuits and supersets these days. Is the straight set dead?

A: I got a call from a friend the other day who asked if an old mutual friend of ours had died because he hadn’t seen him in a while. Our friend was strong and had great mass. He was very popular for years, well known in every gym, but no one had seen him in the past few years. His name was Straight Sets.

REAP THE REWARDS OF STRAIGHT SETS

Settle down, he’s not dead. In fact, I just saw him this morning in my squat rack. In fact, he’s probably immortal. Here’s when you should look for him: Use straight sets in a strength or mass phase of your training. Use them at the top of your workout. Strength, motivation, and coordination are highest then, so you’ll reap the best rewards. When your strength or mass phase is over, return to Circuit/ Superset City. In the meantime, I hear Straight Sets calling you over to the bench press.

Gunnar Peterson is America’s most sought-after personal trainer. His client list has included such Hollywood celebs as Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis and elite athletes Tom Brady, Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Love.